To raise awareness of the health benefits gained when consumers eat more fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, East-West Seed Philippines is now accepting recipe entries at www.eastwestseed.recipes for its International Year of Fruits and Vegetables Recipe contest.
A recent survey shows that 58% of consumers in the Philippines made major changes to their diet during the pandemic. “Filipino consumers are eating better,” said Mary Ann P. Sayoc, Public Affairs Lead for East-West Seed.
Among those polled, 53 percent said they have started eating more fruits and vegetables and 43 percent ate more plant-based food.
“Around the world, the pandemic has brought significant and positive changes to diets and nutrition. It is gratifying to see that we are doing the same here. By consuming more fruits and vegetables, we are making significant improvements to our health and well-being for generations to come,” added Sayoc.
The call for recipes will allow home chefs to create healthy new meals that could become loved across the country or update those long-time favorite dishes with a more nutritious spin.
East-West Seed Philippines (EWS) is a market leader in researching, developing, producing, and distributing tropical vegetable seeds. EWS plays a crucial role in improving tropical vegetable varieties that smallholder farmers use to generate yields and increase productivity.
The special edition digital cookbook features five categories in which consumers can submit recipes:
1. Appetizer
2. Main Courses
3. Side Dishes
4. Desserts
5. New Traditions – These are traditional recipes that consumers have made healthier by creatively replacing or adding ingredients.
There is no set limit to the number of entries an individual can submit per category, but each recipe must feature one or more locally grown vegetables or fruits. Each submission must also include a high-resolution photo of the recipe submitted.
One winner will be awarded per category. Each winner will receive a cash prize of Php 10,000 and her or his recipe will be published in EWS’ special edition digital cookbook. In addition to the category winners, recipes receiving honorable mentions will be included.
The deadline for recipe entries is October 22, 2021, at 6pm (GMT+8) and is open to residents of the Philippines.
Esteemed Roster of Judges
Giving consumers even more incentive to participate in the contest, EWS has introduced its lineup of esteemed judges, who will judge recipes based on four criteria: flavor, healthy preparation, nutritional profile, and photo presentation; with each one counting for 25% of the total score. Tiebreakers will be settled at judges’ discretion.
This year’s recipe contest will be judged by five individuals esteemed in their respective fields and industries. They include world-class Chef Robby Goco, registered nutritionist-dietician Jo Sebastian, influencer and rooftop gardener Don Bustamante, DOST-FNRI Science Research specialist May Ann Gironella, and East-West Seed Public Affairs Lead Mary Ann P. Sayoc.
Winners will be announced and recognized in a social post at East-West Seed Philippines’ official Facebook page. The final cookbook will be made available for download to the public following the contest.